CHICAGO  The American Iron and Steel Institute has written to New Yorks Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) asking its leadership to reconsider the planned use of Chinese-produced and -fabricated steel decking in its reconstruction of a New York City bridge.

"At a time when our nation remains in a recovery from high unemployment and economic recession, we cannot afford to ship American manufacturing jobs overseas," AISI president and chief executive officer Thomas Gibson said in a June 26 letter to the MTA.

"Sourcing 15,000 tons of steel from China for repairs on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is particularly offensive, as the vast majority of Chinese steel companies are government-owned and -controlled and heavily subsidized," he said. "In addition, the Chinese government deliberately engages in unfair trading practices like currency manipulation to give Chinese exports an unfair competitive advantage. We urge you to reconsider the decision."

The taxpayers of New York who cross the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge "should not be forced to have their toll dollars go toward improving the economy of China when American manufacturing needs their support," Gibson concluded.

AISIs objections echo those of United Steelworkers union president Leo Gerard, New York Sen. Diane J. Savino and New York Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, who registered similar concerns last week.